What is Helm? A Comprehensive Overview for Beginners

Helm is a powerful package manager for Kubernetes, which allows you to easily install, manage, and upgrade applications and services in a Kubernetes cluster. Helm, built on top of Kubernetes, offers a quick and effective method for handling complicated deployments.

If you’re new to Kubernetes, you may wonder why you need Helm. Although Kubernetes is a powerful platform for container orchestration, managing applications and services on it can be challenging. Helm simplifies this process by providing a standardized way to package, distribute, and manage Kubernetes applications.

What is Helm?

Have you ever had trouble deploying and managing applications on Kubernetes? 

Well, Helm is here to make your life easier! 

Developed initially by DeisLabs and now maintained by CNCF, Helm was created to give you a better way to manage all those YAML files. As an open-source project, Helm provides a tool that can simplify and streamline your Kubernetes deployments, making it easier to manage your applications and infrastructure. It’s like a package manager that helps you install and manage applications on a cluster.

With Helm¹, you can easily install, upgrade, or remove your applications by packaging them into charts. This means you can deploy complex applications with multiple components, like databases, front-ends, and back-ends, in just a few clicks. Therefore, using Helm’s features like versioning, rollback, and dependency management, you can easily manage complex applications. 

Helm aims to make Kubernetes deployment more efficient and less time-consuming, allowing you to focus on developing and delivering your applications.

What distinguishes Helm from other package managers and Kubernetes tools?

The unique aspect of Helm that sets it apart from other Kubernetes tools and package managers is its ability to manage complex application deployments easily.

Unlike other Kubernetes tools, Helm has features like versioning, rollback, and dependency management that make it easier to manage your deployments. Helm also has a large and active community, with many pre-existing charts available, making it easier to start your deployments.

Overall, what distinguishes Helm from other tools and package managers is its approach to managing Kubernetes deployments. It’s designed to make application deployment more efficient and less time-consuming, so you can focus on developing and delivering your applications.

 How Does Helm Work?

Helm has three core components: charts, repositories, and releases.

Helm Charts are the packaging format used by Helm to distribute applications on Kubernetes. They include every file and piece of metadata(replicas, nodeport, images, etc.,) needed to set up and maintain an application on a cluster. Imagine them as a recipe book that lists the ingredients and procedures needed to prepare a dish.

Repositories are collections of charts that can be accessed and managed by Helm. They allow you to store and share helm charts with others in a central location, making it easier to manage your deployments. Imagine them as a collection of recipe books where you can quickly locate and access the recipes you require.

Releases are instances of a chart that have been installed onto a cluster. They can be managed and tracked using Helm, and they stand for an application’s running state. Imagine them as a recipe book dish that you prepared. The dish itself is the release, which you can control by making necessary recipe adjustments.

Together, these core components make it easy to package, distribute, and manage applications on Kubernetes using Helm. Releases represent the running state of the application on the cluster, while charts provide the recipe for building the application and repositories act as a central repository for storing and sharing those recipes.

Why Helm?

Here are some of the advantages of using Helm that are noteworthy:

1. Simplified Deployment: With Helm, you can quickly and easily install, update, and manage your applications on Kubernetes. You can use a single command to deploy complicated applications rather than manually creating and managing numerous resources.

2. Easy Configuration: Helm uses a simple and intuitive templating language that simplifies configuration values, such as the number of replicas or the container image, to suit your needs.

3. User-Friendly: Helm is designed to be approachable and user-friendly, with a command-line interface that guides you through the process of installing and managing your applications. Additionally, a supportive community of contributors is committed to enhancing Helm’s usability.

4. Improved resource management: With Helm, you can package your Kubernetes resource requirements into a single unit called a helm chart. This helm chart can be easily versioned and deployed to different environments. As a result, you can manage your Kubernetes resources more effectively and avoid errors when managing resources separately.

5. Increased productivity: Helm automates many complex tasks in deploying Kubernetes resources. For instance, you only need to issue one command to install and upgrade your resources. This can save you time and effort, allowing you to focus on other essential tasks.

6. Improved collaboration: Using Helm, you can more easily share your Kubernetes resources with others. Your charts can be stored and distributed using Helm repositories, making it simple for others to deploy and manage your resources. Additionally, Helm offers role-based access control (RBAC) that allows you to restrict access to specific charts or resources.

All of these advantages make Helm an indispensable tool for Kubernetes deployment.

Getting Started

Installation and Configuration

1. Visit the Helm website’s official page and download the binary for your operating system.

2. Extract the downloaded file and move the helm binary to a directory in your system path.

3. Initialize Helm by running the following command:

“$ helm init”

4. With the Tiller server (the server-side element of Helm) installed in your cluster, this command will create a Kubernetes deployment.

5. The helm install command can now be used to deploy a Helm chart. But first, you need to create a Helm chart.

Creating and Installing a Helm Chart

1. Create a new directory for your Helm chart.
2. Inside the directory, create a new Chart.yaml file that contains metadata about your chart, such as the name, version, and description.

3. Create a values.yaml file that contains the default values for your chart.

4. Create a templates directory that contains the Kubernetes manifests for your chart.

5. The templates directory should be updated with the necessary Kubernetes manifests.

6. By executing the following command, you can check your chart’s syntax:

“$ helm init”

7. Run the following command to package your chart:

“$ helm package <chart directory>”

8. Run the following command to install your chart:

“$ helm install <name> <path to chart package>”

Managing a Helm Chart

1. Run the following command to update your chart:

“$ helm upgrade <release name> <chart package>”

2. Run the following command to delete a release:

“$ helm delete <release name>”

3. Run the following command to list every release that has been installed:

“$ helm list”

4. Run the following command to roll back a release:

“$ helm rollback <release name> <revision number>”

You can create, install, and manage Helm charts using these instructions to streamline your Kubernetes deployment procedure.

Best practices

• Understand the basics of Helm: Before using Helm, it’s essential to understand the fundamental ideas behind it, including charts, releases, and repositories.

• Keep your Helm charts in a Git repository: It’s a good practice to store your Helm charts in a Git repository. You can easily collaborate with other team members and keep track of changes thanks to it.

• Keep your Helm charts updated: Helm frequently releases updated versions, so keep your charts current. Ensure your Helm charts are current to benefit from updated features and bug fixes.

• Manage your releases with namespaces: Namespaces are a fantastic tool for managing Helm releases. They enable you to manage releases as a single entity by grouping releases together.

• Use values files to customize your Helm charts: Values files are a powerful tool for customizing Helm charts. They can be used to configure options like the number of replicas, the database name, and the service port.

• Test your Helm charts before deploying them: Helm provides a tool called “helm test” that you can use to test your Helm charts before deploying them to production. Testing your Helm charts to catch any issues before they affect your users is a good practice.

• Secure your Helm installations by utilizing RBAC: Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) can be used to secure Helm installations. RBAC allows you to control who has access to your Helm releases and what actions they can perform.

• Use Helm plugins to extend Helm’s functionality: Helm offers a plugin architecture that you can utilize to increase its functionality. For example, the “helm-diff” plugin allows you to compare the differences between two Helm releases.

• Use Helmfile to manage your Helm releases: Helmfile is a tool that enables you to use a declarative YAML configuration file to manage your Helm releases. With numerous Helm charts and releases, it’s a fantastic way to manage complicated deployments.

• Join the Helm community: Helm has a vibrant community of users and contributors. Joining the community can help you learn from others, get help when needed, and contribute to the project.

Working with Helm on Ozone

You can create a Helm Microservice by uploading all your Helm charts onto the platform and linking them during the creation process. The charts can be uploaded to different channels and pulled from them. For private Helm charts, private channels can also be added to Ozone in case they are not intended for people outside the organization. The workload and UX are super easy for teams to streamline and collaborate on their Helm projects. 

To get started creating a Helm microservice, select the “Microservices” tab from the left menu. You will be taken to the Microservices library screen listing all your existing custom and Helm microservices.

Click on “+New Microservice” and select Helm Microservice. You will next be taken to a screen where apart from naming the microservice, you will need to select environments and map the relevant helm charts to it. A filter is provided to navigate through all the existing helm charts to find what you need. 

Click on Save and the Helm microservice is created and appears in the library. It can then be picked up from here to execute a Helm deployment and track it there onwards. 

Helm is a powerful tool that simplifies the deployment of Kubernetes applications. If you’re looking for a hassle-free way to manage your Kubernetes applications, we at Ozone are here to help. With our expertise in Kubernetes and Helm, we can guide you through the process of creating, installing, and managing Helm charts. Experience the simplicity and ease of Helm in your Kubernetes deployments by using our services right away.